The Manitoba Government made a big announcement Friday regarding HyLife of La Broquerie. Company President Claude Vielfaure says Premier Brian Pallister came to their hog processing plant in Neepawa to announce a tax break under the Tax Increment Financing program or TIF.

"It's a TIF incentive program for us of $9.5 million for the next few years to help and partner with us with the expansion of our plant and our Killarney feed mill. For the next 22 years, it means not having to pay a portion of the municipal taxes."

Vielfaure says it's huge to have the support of the government in the hog industry as well as in helping rural communities grow and flourish.

"It's an important part because it gives companies confidence to invest in the province and to continue to grow. It takes all aspects for this to happen and one of them is certainly for the government to be positive and onside on the growth in rural Manitoba."

HyLife has spent about $176 million in recent years to expand its plant in Neepawa, to build a new feed mill in Killarney and to develop more hog barns in western Manitoba. Vielfaure says the projects have generally gone very well.

"With expansion, there are always some start-up blips, but we've worked through them and we're excited about bringing value to our investments here in the future."

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